Worcester gets money for bomb-sniffing dog despite opposition

WORCESTER — Despite a lack of support by the Central Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and its Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, the Worcester Police Department received $113,000 for an explosives detection dog.

Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said the Central Region Homeland Security Advisory Council voted 11-2 Tuesday to approve the funding. The two dissenting votes were from West Brookfield Police Chief C. Thomas O'Donnell Jr., the president of the Central Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, and New Braintree Police Chief Bert DuVernay, according to Worcester police.

Chief Gemme sent a letter to the council reassuring it the dog would be used for Central Massachusetts departments upon request. This is similar to other equipment supported by council funding, the chief said.

"We understand our role and the need for mutual aid and the concept of regional security," Chief Gemme said. "There is a clear need not only in the city but in the region. The only other bomb dog in Central Mass. is with the Auburn Police Department."

The Central Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association said it would not support the explosives detection dog unless Worcester police signed a mutual aid agreement with 67 area communities. Chief Gemme said the agreement would give full police powers to on-duty officers for the 67 communities. It would have allowed those officers to make minor motor vehicle stops and enforce misdemeanors such as trespassing or disorderly conduct in Worcester.

But officials from the chiefs of police association said it had no intention of having officers from outside of Worcester do that type of enforcement in the city. The mutual aid agreement would simply clean up legal issues involving officers crossing into other jurisdictions, they said.

Neither the Central Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association nor CEMLEC, a subdivision of the association, supported Worcester's request. The lack of support stalled Worcester's proposal. Worcester police ended up asking the council to approve the request for funding without the support from the agencies.

In the June 3 letter, Chief O'Donnell said the associations' board thought that without the mutual aid agreement with CEMLEC, the member towns were skeptical the dog would be a "truly regional asset."

Chief Gemme said extending the full police powers to the 67 communities wasn't acceptable. He said he believed the agencies were using the bomb dog request as a way to have Worcester police sign the mutual aid agreement.

Worcester police have worked with other departments in training police dogs, and train police recruits from outside departments within Worcester's police academy. The chief said this shows Worcester understands the need to assist departments regionally.

The chief called the approval vote without the support unprecedented.

"I was optimistic the council would make the decision based on the strength of the proposal and the need for the resource," Chief Gemme said.

In the aftermath of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings, Worcester police reviewed their ability to respond and safeguard events in the city. Officials said they found there was a need for an explosives detection dog and submitted a proposal to the area Homeland Security council.

While Worcester, the second-largest city in New England, has no bomb dogs and relies on outside agencies, Boston has 31. Chief Gemme said he understands some would say the dogs did not detect the bombs that killed three people and severely injured hundreds in Boston, but his department should also not turn away such a resource.

"No amount of law enforcement is going to prevent all types of crimes and incidents, but we want to be in a position where we can provide the maximum amount of security for the residents and visitors to the city of Worcester," Chief Gemme said.

Police Sgt. Timothy M. Watts, who wrote the proposal, will be the dog's handler. A dog first has to be selected, then receive certification from a 10-week accredited program for explosives detection, the chief said. There will be ongoing training as well.

The dog also could be used for incidents involving firearms, the chief said.

The money approved by the council will pay for the dog, a vehicle for the sergeant and dog, training and various types of equipment. Worcester police hope to have the dog ready in four to six months.

"Boston is the largest city in the commonwealth and has 31 bomb dogs, while Worcester is completely absent of any bomb dogs," Sgt. Watts wrote in the proposal. "The recent Boston Marathon bombings and the subsequent manhunt has demonstrated the region's critical shortage of explosive counter-terrorism capability."